Variable-width two-needle sewing machine



Aug. 5 4- R. M. SHARAF VARIABLE WIDTH TWO-NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Original Filed pril 19. 1916 v 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 A m. a?

WITNESSES m m n n Aug, 5, 1924; 1,503,921

R. M. SHARAF VARIABLE WIDTH TWO-NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Original ile pril 19 1916 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 WITNESSES l/VVE/V 70/;

Aug. 5.- 1924.

R. M. SHARAF.

VARIABLE WIDTH TWO-NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Original Filed April 19 1916 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 l/VVEIVTOR ATTORNEYS WITNESSES Aug 5, 1924 1,563,921

- R. M. 'SHARAF VARIABLE WIDTH TWO NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Original Filed April 19. 1916 6-SheetsSheet 4 INVENTOR A Ira/Mrs v I fi fi II WITNESSES R. M. SHARAF VARIABLE WIDTH TWO-NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Original Filed Aprll l9 1916 WITNESSES 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 m ME VS Aug. 5, 1924, 1,503,921

' R. Mv SHARAF VARIABLE WIDTH TWO-NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Original iled April 19. 1916 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 WITNESSES Q j INVENTOH Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

UETED STTES RALPH M. SHARAF, OF NEW YORK, N .Y., ASSIGNOR TO B. IE. SI-IARAF MACHINE 00., OF BOSTON, MASSACE-IUSE'I'IS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

VARIABLE-WIDTH TWO-NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE.

Application filed April 19, 1916, Serial No. 92,140. Renewed July 13, 1921. Serial No. 484,506.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPI-LM. SHARAF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of the Bronx, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Variable-lVidth Two-Needle Sewing Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to sewing machines and has particular reference to two needle machines.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a sewing machine having two needles and provision for causing the needles to make independent zigzag stitches.

Another object of the invention is to provide means to adapt the needles of a two needle machine while operating in forming zigzag stitches to co-operate with the hooks of a pair of shuttles or hooked loopers mounted for rotation on vertical axes.

A still further object is to provide mecha nism in a lace sewing machine for attaching either or both edges of the lace to the cloth and at the same time trim the cloth adjacent the stitches and fold the raw edge of the cloth formed by this trimming so as to produce along the seam or row of stitches a perfectly finished edge.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment for sewing machines for attaching lace to cloth the edge of the lace so attached bein secured b r a zi za b Q h b stitch and at the same time folding the edge of the cloth which is overwhipped by the zigzag stitches.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sewing machine having facilities for sewing insertion on cloth by zigzag stitches along the edges of the lace, along either straight or curved patterns, the cloth being cut simultaneously with the operation of the stitching mfchanism along the rows of stitches and means being provided to fold over the raw edges of the cloth within the several rows of zigzag stitches to produce only finished seams.

Nth the foregoing and other objects in View the invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanying drawings. in which like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views, and in which-- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the principal parts of the mechanism;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the same;

Figure 2 is a detail view indicating more particularly the right and left screw adjustment means for the shuttle mechanism;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the shuttle end of the bed with the throat plates removed to disclose the relation of the rotary shuttles to the feeding mechanism;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section of the same on the line4i of Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged front elevation of the needle bar and the means for controlling the action of the needles toward and from each other in making the zigzag stitches;

Figure 5 is a detail plan view of the driving mechanism Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional detail on the line 6-6 of Figure 8;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in elevation looking toward the right of Figure 5, parts being in section to show the construction:

Figure 8 is a horizontal section of the needle holders and thimble on the line S8 of Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figure 1 and indicating particularly the stitch adjustment auxiliary to the differential feed mechanism;

Figure 10 is a perspective detail indicating the relation of the stitching device tothe edge of the lace being attached to the cloth and also indicating parts of the cloth cutting means and the folding guide;

Figure 11 is a diagram indicating the relation'of the shuttle hook and thread catcher to the needle at the moment the needle reaches its lower limit of movement, these parts referring to the shuttle on the right, or as indicated in the upper part of Figure 3;

Figure 12 is a diagram of the same when the needle has been lifted and the thread is to be transferred from the thread catcher to the shuttle hook;

Figure 13 is a perspective detail approximately at right angles to Figure 11 and showing the relation of the shuttle hook to the thread catcher;

Figures 14, 15 and 16 are views corresponding respectively to Figures 11, 12, and 13, but referring to the shuttle at the left or as shown in the lower portion of Figure 3; r V

Fig-ure 17 is a vertical transverse section of the work, indicating diagrammatically the relation of the cloth folding guide to the zigzag stitches; and

Figure 18 is a diagram in plan'of the throat plates adjustable toward and from each other, and the associated parts, including a filler plate movable at right angles to the direction of adjustment of the throat plates.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, I show a sewing machine bed 20, head 21 and usual driving mechanism, ineluding a belt wheel 22 of any suitable or approved construction and provided with a differential feed two needle mechanism,preferably of the type disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application, filed October 24, 1916, Serial No. 127,323, Patent No. 1,466,152 dated August 28, 1923. Without going into an unnecessary lengthy description of that mechanism in this case, but in order to give a sufficient understanding thereof for the purpose of covering the new features, I will state briefly that the dif ferential feed mechanism includes a knee yoke 23 (Fig. 2) adjustable to fit the operators knee by means of set screws 24 acting upon the side wings 25 of the yoke. Said yoke is connected to a gear segment 26 (Fig. 1) suitably journaled upon a bracket 27 and meshing with a pinion 28 secured to a shaft 29 extending rearwardly in a horizontal plane beneath the machine table and having a miter gear connection at 30 with a longitudinal shaft 31 (Figs. 1 and 9), hav ing at its other 'end a pinion 32 meshing with the double cam wheel 33 fully set forth inthe aforesaid application. By reference to Figure 9, sufficient of this mechanism will 'be comprehended for the purpose of this present case. This mechanism includes a main shaft 34, a countershaft 35, crank connections 36 between the main and counter rather of the slides 44, connected with them,

in the slots 44 of the rockers 38, the effective throw of the rocker, and the extent of rotation of the rock shafts 42 and 43 are varied. 7

act through draw bars 45 (Figs. 1, 2 and 9) to throw the adjustable ends of the links 40 up or down. In the position shown in Figure 9,;the mechanism is set to operate both feed dogs in unison and in parallel straight lines, the cam'slot 33 being inefiective to vary the relation of the link mechanism. 7 In my said co-pending application, the only way to change the length of the stitch was through the actuation of this cam wheel 7 and that to shorten the stitches. of one needle, While those of the other needle remained unchanged. Inrthis improvement, however, I provide means for lengthening or shortening the stitches of either needle independently of this differential feed mechanism. To this end I show two pairs. of toggle links 46 and 47, the links of each pair being connected by a block 48, being threaded for a screw 49, having its other end journaled for rotation in the opposite block 50 connecting the links of the other pair. The journaled end of the screw is held from endwise movement "in the block 50. By the rotation of the screw in one direction or the other'by means of a tool introduced through the machine casing at the hole 51, the eifec tive length of the toggle connection between a bar 45 and the corresponding radius link 40 isincreased or decreased with a corresponding adjustment of the slide 44 toward or from the axis of the rocker. It will be understood that this specific description of the means for adjusting the efl'e'ctive throw of one link 40, will be applicable to the mechanism for adjusting the operation of both of the feed dogs and the length of the stitches.

The type of machine illustrated includes a pair of hooked loopers or rotary shuttles 52 and 53 (Fig. 3) journaled for rotation around vertical axes on the right and left sides respectively 'of the line of the Work. These shuttles are rotated in the same direction and have hooks 54 and 55 respectively to receive the thread from the needles 57 and 58 (Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 8). The rotation of the shuttles is effected as heretofore.

by means of 'miter gears 59 connecting vertical and horizontal shafts 60 and 61, the

latter being driven at high speed through gears 62 (Fig. 1) from the countershaft 35.

'Ihe independently controlled feed dogs are indicated at 63 and 64 (Figs. 3, 4 and 18), the same being connectedto feed bars 65 and 66 respectively connected as above intimated to the' concentric rock shafts 42, 43 and the effective lift of-the dogsis controlled as in my said co pending applica tion, by means of a lifting arm 67 (Fig. 4).

The two shuttles and driving means therefor are mounted for adjustment longifrom each other to accommodate the same 'tudinally of the-machine bed toward and.

to rows of stitches of narrower or greater widths between. The. shuttles and their vertical shafts 60 are mounted upon adjustable blocks 68 and 69 (Fig. 3) having slots 70, into which binding screws 71 project. The feed bars 65 and 66 are likewise adjustable for sliding movement toward and from each other along their respective rock shafts, and the feed dogs carried thereby maintain their proper relation to the throat plates 72 and 7 3 connected by screws 7 4L 18) or their equivalent to their respective blocks 68 and 69. The screws 74 enter tapped holes 74: in the blocks. hen the throat plates are thus moved apart, the opening that would be caused thereby may be filled by a tapered filler plate 7 2 movable by the operator rearwardly at right angles to the direction of movement of the throat plates, (see Figure 18).

I will now describe the means for. adjusting the blocks toward and from each other. 75 (Figs. 1, 2 and a) indicates a plate located horizontally below the high speed shaft 61. In this plate are journaled the screws 1 above described. To the lower end of each of these screws is secured a gear 76. These gears are all of the same size and a master gear 77 is arranged within the center of the group and meshes with all of them. A hand wheel 78 or its equivalent is connected by a spindle 79 to the master gear 77, whereby a rotation of the spindle and master gear in either direction will cause a corresponding rotation of all of the binding screws 71 to loosen or tighten the same simultaneously. When the screws are thus loosened, the blocks may be adjusted by any suitable means. As shown in Figures 2, 2 and 1, I provide front and rear right and left screws 80 and 81 having threaded engagement with correspondingly threaded holes in the front and rear ends of the blocks 68 and 69. Each of the screws is provided at the center with a worm wheel 82, and these two worm wheels mesh with a pair of worms 83 secured upon a horizontal shaft 84 journaled transversely of the machine and having a pinion 85 at its front end meshing with a large gear 86 which is adapted to be rotated by a screw driver or the like applied at 87. By the rotation of this gear 86 and correspondingly rapid rotation of the shaft 84, the worms 83 are both rotated in the same direction simultaneously and the right and left screws 80 and V 81 act simultaneously to force the blocks toward or from each other depending upon the direction of rotation of the wheel 86. A scale 88 (Fig. 3) may be arranged at any suitable place to indicate the extent and character of adjustment of these mechanisms. After the adjustment is made, the screws 71 will .be tightened to clamp the shuttle. mechanisms firmly in place. The

effect of the worms 83, however, is that of a lock for the adjustable blocks.

I will now describe the needle mechanisn'i as it applies to a two needle machine adapted for forming zigzag stitches. In Figure 5 I show a needle bar 89 of tubular form having rigidly but detachably connected to its lower end a thimble 90, the longer axis of which is horizontal and parallel to the mainshaft 3 1 of the machine. The needles 51 and 58 e):- tend through slots 91 and 92 in the bottom of this thimble and are locked in a pair of blocks 98 and 94 fitted in the thimble for sliding toward and from each other. The needles are both moved at the same time toward each other and likewise at the same time away from each other, and as shown in Figures 5 and 8 they occupy their nearest position with the needle bar elevated. Each block 93 or 94 has an inward extension 95 and these extensions co-operate with each other to substantially till the central portion of the thimble. Each of these extensions 95 is provided with a transverse groove 96 along its upper surface and these grooves 96 are so ar ranged that they preferably coincide or con stitute an extension of one another when the needles occupy a position midway between their inward and outward positions. In other words, while Figure 8 shows the needles adjusted toward each other to their maximum, when they are thrown farthest apart the relative positions of the grooves 96 will have changed place in effect. That is to say, the groove 96 at the upper portion of Figure 8 will have moved as far to the right, and the one at the bottom of the figure far to the left as they now appear to the left and right respectively. The needle bar 89 is adapted to be reciprocated up and down in the usual manner from a crank pin 97 carried by a head 98 on the end of the main shaft through a connecting link 99 connected to a clip 100.. Likewise a conventional form of thread take-up 101 is journaled at 102 and is operated by a cam 103 in the head 98. It is to be noted, however, that this thread takeup 101 carries a pin 104 which oscillates a lever 105 pivoted on a horizontal pivot 106 and whose other end has a fork 107 in which is engaged a pin projected at the upper end of the lace feeding bar 108.

Within the tubular needle bar is journaled a spindle 109 for limited rotation, but held from endwise movement with respect to the needle bar by suitable means, as for example, the screws 110, which serve to lock the thimble to the needle bar, the inner ends of these screws extending into a circumferential groove 11.1 formed in the lower end of the spindle. To the extreme lower end of the spindle are secured a pair of fingers 112 eX- tending parallel to each other on diametrically opposite sides of the axis of the spindle and into the respective grooves 96 of the into which a pin 1141 always projects.

needle holders. The needle holders are held from rotation within the thimble by means of a pin 90 projecting into companion grooves 90 'formed in the lower portions of the extensions 95. Any suitable means may be provided to cause a to and fro rotation of the spindle through a short angleonce for each two rotations of the main shaft, whereby, when the spindle is rotated to throw the needle holders outwardly or away from each other, the needles will be caused to enter the cloth to make one stitch at the maximum distance apart. At the next rotation of the main shaft and operation of the needles, they 5 will enter the cloth at the minimum distance apart and thereby two parallel rows of zigzag stitches will be formed simultaneously. The needle bar, in this instance, is shown provided with a straight vertical groove 113, This pin is carried by the lower end of a lever 115 pivoted at 116 and having at its upper end an inclined slot 117, into which the end 118 of a lever 119 projects. This lever, like the lever 115, is of the first class and is pivoted at 120 on a horizontal axis. The opposite end of the lever 119 is deflected dowi'iwardly, forming a nose 121, co-operating with a cam wheel 122 having alternate crests 122 and dwells 122 The number of crests and dwells of this cam wheel is equal to the number of teeth in a worm wheel 123 secured to the shaft 12 1, upon which the cam wheel is secured. This worm wheel is given a step by step rotation, one tooth for each rotation of the main shaft, by virtue of a single thread worm 125 secured to the main shaft. The worm 125, as will be noted especially in Figure 5, has the peculiarity that only the tail end 125, or the part that leaves the worm gear 123 last, is formed spirally, the major portion of this gear being circumferential only. In other words, with the main shaft rotating as indicated by the arrow on Figure 5, the worm 125 is engaged between two of the teeth of theworm gear 123, holding said gear from movement until the tail 125 of the worm comes into action, causing a rotation of the worm gear and cam wheel 122 through the extent of one tooth.

A spring 126 acts constantly upon the lever 119, tending to throw the nose 121 to ward the center of the cam' wheel. In the position shown in Figure 5 this nose is oc cupyingone of the dwells of the cam wheel and thereby the lever 115 is held so as to hold the pin 11% with its point projecting through the shell of the needle bar only in the slot 113. In this condition, the

needles will make their next down stroke ing the end 118 downwardly along the slot 117 ,and forcing thepin 114 inwardly beyond the slot 113 and into a cam slot 127 formed along the spindle 109. The lower end of the cam slot .is straight and vertical and registers with the lower end of the straight slot 113 every time the needle bar is in its uppermost position. The longer portion, however, of the cam slot is deflected laterally from'the straight slot 113 and when the pin 114: is forced into the cam slot and so held by the action of the gear 125 and intermediate parts while the needles make the next down stroke, the pin acts to cause the rotation of the spindle above referred to with the throwing of the needle holding blocks away from each other (see dotted lines in Fig. 5). lVhen, however, the needle bar is again lifted, on its next up stroke the cam portion of the cam slot co-operating with the pin 11 1 will return the spindle and needle holders connected thereto, to their position indicated by full lines in Figure 5. On the next down stroke of the needles and on the immediately succeeding upstroke, they keep this position and are so held by friction of the movable parts 93, 94, and 109 (the pin 11 1 being withdrawn from the cam. slot 127). In other words, while I show nothing to positively hold the needles in their nearest position, there is nothing acting thereon at this time to cause them to move from such position until the next succeeding downward stroke, when they are thrown apart again by the action of the pin 114 in'the cam slot, and when the needles are in their lowest position the pin acts in the cam slot as a lock, preventing the needles from moving toward each other when down.

I will now describe the means to make the shuttles effective in their co-operation with the needles when the latter are adjusted toward each other and hence remote from the hooks 54: and 55 ofthe shuttles. 'By reference to Figures 3 and4, it will be noted that in the practice of a rotary shuttle machine, the shuttles rotating around vertical axes, the advancing pointer hook of each shuttle in an ordinary machineglides closely alongside theneedle and catches the thread between the needle and the last stitch formed thereby. This statement presupposes that V the needle is reciprocated up and down close to the path of the shuttle hook, but in this case since the needles are caused toapproach each other on the alternate down strokes, they are caused to be moved to a material distance away from'the paths of the shuttle hooks, in the making of the zigzag stitches. In other words, the shuttles are so adjusted as to correspond to the points of the needles when the latter are most remote from each For operation at this time, I provide other. some suitable means auxiliary to the shuttle hooks to catch the thread and transfer the same laterally to the shuttle hooks. The means I employ for'this purpose are what I call a pair of thread catchers 128 and 129. Each of these members is shown as in the nature of a lever of the first class pivoted on pivots 130, the axes of which are parallel to and just above the high speed shaft 61, the active points of the thread catchers being on the longer arms of the levers. 7 These points occupy a position normally back of the vertical plane of both needles, (see Figure 4:) and are so held by suitable springs 131 connected to the levers above their pivots. At 132 and 133 I show a pair of cam wheels mounted upon a single shaft 134 rotated continuously from one of the other longitudinal shafts, as for example the countershaft as through gears 135, (see Figures 1 and 2). Each of these wheels 132 and 133 has a peripheral tooth or proj ection 136 which is timed to co-operate with the shorter end of the adjacent thread catchor at the point shown at 137 when the needles are down on that stroke that they are closest together. Both of the points then of the thread catchers 128 and 129 cooperate with the needles inwardly with respect to the thread in substantially the same manner that the shuttle hooks co-operate with the thread at the other down stroke of the needles, as above described. The action of the projections 136 on the thread catchers, against the force of the spring 131, is of brief duration and consequently the mechanism is so timed that when the thread catchers catch the threads and transfer the loose portions thereof laterally, the shuttle hooks traveling in their regular order receive the loose portions of the'threads from the thread catchers just before the springs 131 throw the thread catchers back to their normal position, where they remain until the wheels 132 and 133 make one more rotation and the needles have been given a second subsequent downward reciprocation. Stop means as a pin 137 may be arranged, if desired, to limit the throw of each thread catcher under the force of the spring 131 acting thereon, so as to relieve the friction which might result from the shorter end of the lever being pressed against the circular periphery of the whee-l carrying the projection 136 adjacent thereto. Figures 11 to 16 indicate the action of these several thread catchers. In Fig. ures 11 to 13, I show the thread catcher 128 which moves from normal position in a direction to meet the approaching shuttle hook. Figure 11 shows the position just at the time the thread catcher is to be ac tuated. Figure 12 indicates the position after the thread catcher has been thrown forwardly and the shuttle hook has advanced to the position to receive the thread therefrom, and the point of the shuttle hook will enter the loose lo p of the thread bef re t e thread catcher is returned to normal position. Figure 14 is a diagram corresponding to the shuttle hook 55, the direction of move ment of which is the same as that of the thread catcher 129, but otherwise the effect is the same as described in connection with Figures 11 and 12.

This machine is designed with particular reference to the sewing of lace or insertion on cloth bv simultaneous parallel rows of stitches and the cutting out of the cloth beneath the lace between the stitches in a single operation, in a manner similar to the action of the machine above referred to and covered by the claims of my application Serial No. 127,322. I provide, however, for the adjustment of the shuttle mechanism, as above described, to accommodate the machine to narrower or wider lace. The lace feeding device indicated in Figure 1 also is preferably made adjustable as indicated at 138 to accommodate the width of lace to be used at any particular time. The needle holding thimble 90 disclosed herein, is not adjustable in length and for the purpose of adapting this type of needle holder to a machine having adjustable shuttle mecha nism and adjustable lace feeding mechanism along with the adjustable cloth cutting devices, I may provide a set of different sizes of needle holders, since they are easily removable and interchangeable with respect to the needle bar. By my copending applica tion, Serial No. 92,141, filed of even date herewith,I disclose specifically the means for adjusting the lace feeding devices and cloth cutting devices, as well as the needle holders.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary View, showing the action of the needle mechanism, cloth folding, and cloth cutting devices along one edge of a piece of lace. The cloth is shown at C and the lace at L, the lace selvage edge thereof being indicated at Z. The figure indicates the action of a cutting blade 139 slitting the cloth parallel to the line of the movement of the cloth just ahead of the action of the needle, and at 140 is shown a cloth folding guide projecting downwardly in a vertical plane between the vertical planes of the cutting blade and the needle, and with respect to the line of movement of the cloth. The guide 140 likewise is between the cutting blade and the needle. This guide bears against the raw edge of the cloth just previously formed by the cutting device and folds the same downwardly through about 90 degrees, as shown at c. This folding actionto the extent just stated takes place between the vertical planes. outlined by the needle while making its zigzag stitches (see also Fig. 17 In other words, the action of the guide 140 is such as to fold or hold the raw edge of the cloth outside of the line Of fiction of the needle or the next down stroke of the needle, it enters v only the cloth from the outside of the lace selvage (see Figure 10), and the thread on the next up stroke completes the folding of the edge 0 of the cloth up against the body of the cloth, where it occupies a position beneath the selvage of the lace, and thereby there is formed a neat, finished seam by virtue of the zigzag stitching and the overwhipping of the thread, the overwhipping including the fold of the cloth, as well as the lace selvage. It will, of course, be understood that this action of the zigzag stitching and the cloth trimming and seam finishing devices, is applicable to the sewing of lace with the use of one needle only, as well as with two needles as contemplated by this particular machine, and hence I do not wish to be limited in this respect to a two needle machine. Figure 17, however, indicates the action of the two needle devices in the sewing of both edges of the lace to the cloth and cutting out the cloth 6, between the two stitches in the same operation.

Since this machine is designed formaking parallel seams or rows of stitches 1n either straight or curved hnes, according to the 7 design of the pattern being worked, and the curvature to the right or to the left of the work is effected automatically by the movement of the operators knee in a corresponding direction to accelerate the feeding mech-,

anism of the curve having the shorter radius, I provide an automatic indicator to assist the operator in regulating the variable feed mechanism precisely inaccordance with the variation in curvature of the pattern. A suitable means for this purpose includes an indicator pointer 141 (Fig. 1) carried by the lower end of an arm 142, pivoted at 143 at the top of the head. A link 144 leads from the point 145 intermediate the ends of the arm 142 to a wrist pin 146 connected to a crank disc 147, or its equivalent,connected to a shaft 148 having at its other. end a pin ion 149 (Fig. 9) driven in turn from a horizontal shaft 150 having miter gear connection at 151 with a vertical shaft 152, to the lower end of which is connected a wheel 153 shown as a belt wheel over which operates an endless belt 154 driven from a wheel 155 mounted upon the axis of the double cam wheel 33. The gears and connections, just described, are so arranged and the relation side or the other from the median line of operation of the machine. By the term'gage mark as used herein', it may be explained that in the practice of this invention, the only outline or mark required to guide the operator may be of a simple or single line nature, the same corresponding to theme-i dian line of the work or the line midway between the two lines of stitches. lVith a mark of this character formed in any man-. ner upon the cloth to which the lace is to be applied, the operator has but to apply one. end of the lace at the proper position at one end of the mark and then by so Inanipulating the indicator 141 as to be maintained in position over the mark, the lace will be automatically applied to the cloth in the manner set forth herein without any. other special care of the operator. This description relates, of course, to the application of lace in the format-ion of curved or irregular patterns; Obviously the lace might be inserted in a piece of cloth along straight courses or designs ofa simpler nature without the necessity of applying or following any gage mark. In other words,

if the design of the pattern stamped or.

otherwise placed upon the fabric should happen to be at any time on the right side, for instance, of said median line,;the operator through the knee controlled mechanism, will adjust the indicator until the pointer lies over the mark and the operation incident to this adjustment will automatically change the differential feed mechanism to effect the desired automatic curvature of the work. nism may be housed within the machine head and hence occupies the least amount of available space around themachine. It will be noted that this indicator pointer 141, because of the connections above described, is

always immediately available by the operator to disclose by its referenceto the median" Nearly all of this indicatingmecha tation around vertical axes, which after adjustment has been madewill be regarded as fixed axes, it will be appreciated that they may be operated much more closely together relatively than if they were caused to rotatearound horizontal,transverse axes. It is to be noted also that whether I use one or more needles, the needle bar is a single element caused to reciprocate always in the same ver- Qitl line, and that in the making of zigzag stitches, the needle orneedles are caused to of a needle bar, means to reciprocate the needle bar continually along the same axis, a needle holder carried by the needle bar, means to shift the needle holder laterally with respect to the axis of the needle bar, a needle carried by the needle holder with its axis parallel to the axis of the needle bar, and means including a looper rotated around a fixed vertical axis and co-operating with said needle to form a row of zigzag lock stitches. v

2. In a sewing machine, the combination of a tubular needle bar, means to reciprocate the needle bar, a needle holding thimble fixed to the lower end of the needle bar, a pair of needle holders mounted in the thimble for reciprocatory movement toward and from the axis of the needle bar in a rectilinear line, a pair of needles connected to the respective holders, means acting between the needle holders and the thimble to maintain the needles with their axes parallel to the axis of the needle bar, a rotary spindle journaled in the center of the needle bar and engaging at its lower end the upper surface of both of said needle holders, said needle holders being provided at their portions engaged by said spindle with transverse slots at right angles to the rectilinear movement of said needles, a pair of diametrically opposed fingers projecting from the end of the spindle into direct engagement and co-operation with the respective slots of said needle holders, and means to cause a rotary oscillation of the spindle during reciprocations of the needle bar, whereby said fingers will cause simultaneous lateral movement of the needles toward and from each other, the'rectilinear movement of said needles being equal to the length of the space bounded by lines at right angles to the rectilinear movement of said needles and passing through the centers of the fingers at their extreme positions.

3. In a sewing machine, the combination of a reciprocating tubular needle bar, a rotary spindle journaled in the needle bar, means to hold the spindle from endwise movement with respect to the needle bar, a pair of needle holders carried by the lower end of the needle bar for reciprocation therewith, a pair of needles fixed to the needle holders and movable with the needle holders laterally with respect to the axis of the needle bar, the needle bar and spindle therein being provided with longitudinal registering slots, one of said slots being straight and the other cam shaped, and

means projecting into said slots to cause a rotary oscillation of the spindle during reciprocations of the needle bar, and connections between the spindle and said needle holders to cause a corresponding lateral movement of the needles.

l. The combination of a reciprocating needle bar, a needle carried by the needle bar for reciprocation therewith and shiftable laterally with respect to the axis of the needle bar, a rotary member associated with the needle bar and reciprocating therewith, the needle bar and rotary member being provided with registering longitudinal slots, one of the slots being straight and the other cam shaped, means including a pin movable into the slots toward the center of the needle bar during 'reciprocations thereof to cause a rotary oscillation of the rotary member, and means connecting the rotary member to the needle to cause a corresponding lateral movement of the needle.

5. In a sewing machine, the combination with a main shaft, a tubular needle bar and connections between the shaft and the needle bar to reciprocate the latter during each rotation of the shaft, said needle bar having a straight longitudinal slot, of a rotary spindle journaled in the needle bar and having a cam slot formed therein registering with the straight slot, a pin projecting into the needle bar slot, a pair of needle holders carried by the needle bar, a pair of needles fixed to the respective holders and movable therewith toward and from each other, the

needles being closest together during one ro-.

tation of the main shaft and reciprocation of the needle bar, and means acting upon said pin forcing it into the cam slot during the next rotation of the main shaft and thereby causing the needles during the accompanying reciprocation thereof to operate farthest apart.

6. In a zigzag lock stitch sewing machine, the combination of a reciprocating needle bar, aneedle connected to the needle bar and movable bodily laterally toward and from the axis thereof during the reciprocations of said bar, a hooked looper mounted for rotation around a fixed axis parallel to the needle and toward and from the hook of which the needle is movable, and means co-operating with the needle to catch the thread and transfer it to the hook of the looper during that reciprocation of the .needle when remote from the looper.

7. In a Zigzag lock stitch sewing machine, the combination of a hooked looper rotating around a fixed vertical axis, a reciprocating needle bar having its axis parallel to the axis of the looper, a needle holder movable toward and from the axis of the needle bar,

a needle fixed to the needle holder with its axis between and parallel to'the axes of the needle bar and the looper, and means comounted for rotation around parallel vertical axes, a reciprocating needle bar having its axis between and parallel to the axes of the looper, a pair of needles, a pair of needle holders carried by the needle bar and to which the needles are respectively fixed with their axes parallel to the axis of the needle bar, means acting upon the needle holders to move them ,apart for direct co-operation with the looper hooks at one-reciprocation of the needle bar and to cause them to be closer together and remote from the looper hooks at the next reciprocation, and means co-operating with the needles during the latter mentioned reciprocation to catch the threads and transfer the same to the looper hooks.

9. In a sewing machine, the combination of a reciprocating needle bar, a needle,

/ means to connect the needle to the needle bar and hold it with its axis parallel to the axis of the needle bar, means acting through said connecting means to shift the needle laterally toward and from the axis of the needle bar during the alternate reciprocations, a hooked looper mounted for rotation around a fixed axis parallel to the needle, the hook of the looper co-operating directly with the needle at one reciprocation, and means including a normally stationary member having a point movable into c'o-operation with the needle at the next reciprocation to catch the thread and transfer the same to the looper hook.

10. In a two needle zigzag lock stitch sewing machine, the combination of a pair of hooked loopers mounted for rotation around parallel fixed axes, a needle bar reciprocating with its axis between and in fixed relation to the axes of the loopers, a pair of needles reciprocating with the needle bar, means to hold the needles in spaced relation for direetrco-operation with the looper hooks at one reciprocation and to move them into closer relation to each other remote from the looper hooks at the next reciprocation, a pair of thread catchers co-operating with the needles when the needles are remote from the loopers to catch the threads thereof and transfer the same laterally to the looper hooks, means holding the thread catchers stationary when the looper hooks cooperate directly with the needles, and means accurately timed with the looper driving means to cause the operation of the thread catchers during the alternate reciprocations as aforesaid.

11. In a two needle sewing machine, the

combination of a pair of hooked-loopers, means to rotate the same around parallel axes, a pair of needles'reciprocating between the loopers, means to shift the needles toward and from the loopersduring the alternate reciprocations of the needles, the axes of the needles lying in the same plane as the'axes of the loopers, a pair of pointed thread catchers lying normally at one side of said plane and idle while the needles are reciprocated close to the loopers for direct co-operation with the looper hooks, and means driven fro-m the looper driving devices to act upon the thread catchers to cause the points thereof to cross said plane into co-operation with the needles at that reciprocation of the" needles when remote from the loopersto catch the threads thereof and transfer the same laterally to the looper hooks. i V 7 12. In a two needle lace sewing machine, the combination of a pair of hooked loopers mounted for rotation around parallel axes, means to adjust the loopers toward or from each other for the accommodation of narrower or wider lace, a pair of needles reciprocating between the loopers and movableduring alternate reciprocations toward each other remote from the looper hooks and awayfr'om each other into direct co-operation with the looper hooks, and means movable transversely to the plane of the needles into co-operation with the needles while making their reciprocation remote from the loopers, for transferringv the thread laterally to the looper hooks. V

13. In a zigzag lock stitch sewing machine, the combination of a hooked looper rotatable around a fixed axis, a needle reciprocating parallel to said axis and shiftable laterally during the alternate reciprocations toward and from the looper, a pivoted thread catcher, a spring acting upon the thread catcher to hold it remote from the needle and idle while the needle is reciprocating in direct co operation with the looper, and a rotary member acting upon the thread catcher against the force of the spring to cause the point of the thread catcher to co-operate directly with the needle at the nextreciprocation thereof to transfer the thread to the looper hook.

14. In a two needle zigzag lock. stitch sewing machine, the combination of a pair of hooked loopers rotating around parallel vertical axes, a needle bar reciprocating with its axis between and in the same plane as the looper axes, a pair of needles reciprocating with the needle bar, means to shift the needles laterally during said reciprocations and alternately into direct co-operation with the loopers and to points nearer the axis of the needle bar remote. from the loopers, a pair of coaxially arranged pivoted thread catchers having pointsnormally at one side of said plane, and rotary means acting simul-" taneously upon both thread catchers to' cause" the points thereof to intersect said plane and co-operate directly with the needles when remote from the loopers to transfer the threads thereof'laterally to be engagedby the looper hooks. I

15. The combination with a sewingmachine bed plate anda plurality of parallel binding screws co-operating therewith aroundfixed axes, of a pair of blocks having" slots through which said binding screws projectand along which slots the blocks are movable toward and from eachother, a pair" of loopers' journaled for" rotation around fixed axes in saidblocks, a pair of needlesre i ciprocating between the loopers and movable 7 toward and from each other so as to co-oper ate directly with the loopers or remotely therefrom, feeding mechanisms pertaining to the several needles and lo'opers'andadjustable" with the loopers toward and from each other, and independent threadcatchers likewise adjustable through, said blocks with the feeding mechanisms and loopers, and:

serving to transfer the threads from the needles to the loopers when the needlesre-T' ciprocate remote from the loopers.

16. The combination with 'a sewing: ma-" chine bed plate having a plurality of bind-'- ing screws tapped therein-,a pair of bearing" blocks having slots through which said screws project and-along which the blocks are adjustable toward and from each other;

means to tighten or loosen all of said screws simultaneously,-.and pairs of independent" loopers, feed dogs and thread catchers: mounted upon said blocks and adjustable therewith toward and from each other,

17.In a two needlesewing machine-,ithe comblnation of a pan of bearing blocks," means fOFCOIlllGClllllg the blocks and causlng' the bodily adjustment thereof toward and from each other,said connecting-and ad justlng means includ ng-a pan of parallel screws and meansfor rotating both screws simultaneously, means to lock the blocks in fixed position after adjustment; a pair of loopersjournaled for rotation around parallel fixed axes in the several blocks, and feed taneously to cause them to move toward and" fromeach other, means co-operating with the bed plate to lock the blocks in fixed lo opers journale'd F in Y threspective. bloks w and each bearing a constant position with respect'to the 'adjacent throatplate in all positions of adjustment, and independent" feeding mechanism connected with thesevQ eral blocks and co-operati'ng with the re spective fthroat plates. 1'

19. 'In a two needle sewing 'machir'i'e; the 'combinationfwithabed plateand a trans' versely i disposed 'screw' shaft journaledgjbe 'neaththe same, of a 'pai'rof bearing b1ock's" ad ustable" toward" and from each other along-said bed plat'e,'a pair of right/and left screws extending between the block's tapped into the ends"thereof,'"a worm gear connected to the-central partbf'eachscrew,"

a pair'of spaced worms secured to 'theworm shaft andj meshing with said worm gears," means to rotate the screw shaft to cause adjustment of the blocks toward or fro'm each other, clamping "means co-operating bet-weenthe blocks and the bed plate to lock the blocks in fixed position after" adjust ment and at definitedistances apart accord ing to a centralscale, and independently ad justable looper and feedingmechanism car-" ried by the respective blocks.

In a variable width two needle la'oef sewing machine, thecombination of 'a pair of blocks, means to adjust thesame toward" and from each other to precise"distances;

means to lock the"blocks in-ffixed'position after' adj ustment, independent rotary" "loop-:-

each block and'co-operating with the adja ers carried by the respective bloeks toward' and "from each other, independent feeding mechanisms carried by theseveral'bl'ocks and adjustabletherewith; a throat-plate fixed to r cent feedingmechanism' irrespective of ad justment, and a filler plate'movable trans versely to the direction of the adjustment of the throat plates to fill the gap between them whenadjusted away from each other? 21. In 'a sewing machine,'a tubular-needle ried by the needle banandadapted'to re-i ciprocate transversely" thereof in are'ctilinwith but capable of an oscillatory movement bar and means for imparting reciprocating motionthereto," needle-holding slides car relatively to the needle bar and engaging at its lower end the upper surface of bothverse slots at right angles to the" rectilinear movement of the said'nee'dle'h'olding slides,

'said rod being provided with diametrically {of said needle holdingslid'es', said needle" holding slides being provided at their porl tions engaged by said spindle with trans for 'causing saidj rod to oscillate, the recposition after ad ustment, a pair of rotary tilineai" movement of said nee'dles' "being equal to the length of the space bounded by transverse guide grooves into both of which said pin extends, and means for operating saidslides.

23. In a sewing machine, a reciprocating tubular needle bar, a needle-holding slide carried, by the needle bar and adapted to reciprocate transversely thereof in a recti linear line, a rod extending within the tubular needle bar and adapted to reciprocate therewith but capable of an oscillatory movement relatively to the needle bar and engaging at its lower end the upper surface of said needle holding slide, said needle holding slide being provided at its portion engaged by said rod with a transverse slot at right angles to the rectilinear movement of said needle holding slide, said rod being provided with an eccentrically located projection extending parallel to the axis of the rod and in pivotal and sliding direct engagement with the needle-holding slide, and means for causing said rod tooscillate whereby rectilinear movement is imparted to said slide, the rectilinear movement of said slide being equal to the length of the space bounded by lines at right angles to the rectilinear movement of said slide and passing through the center of said projection at its extreme positions.

24. In a sewing machine, a reciprocating needle bar, a needle-holding slide carried by the needle bar and adapted to reciprocate transversely thereof in a rectilinear line, said slide being provided with a guideway extendingfin a plane'perpendicular to the path of the needle bars reciprocation, said guideway being further perpendicular to the direction of the transverse movement of ing slide being provided at its portion engaged by said member with a transverse slotat right'angles to the rectilinear movement of said'slide, saidmember being provided with an eccentrically located projection ex tending into said guideway of the needleholding slide to a pivotal and sliding direct engagement therewith, and means for causing said member to, oscillate whereby rectilinear, movement is imparted tosaid slide,

the rectilinear movement of said slide being equal to the length of the space bounded by 7 lines at right angles to the rectilinear movement of said slide and passing through the 7 "center of said projection at its extreme positions.

from the looper and to transfer thisrthread' from the needle to the looper. s

26. In a sewing machine, a reciprocating 25. In a sewing machine, a reciprocating needle movable laterally with reference to the path of its reciprocation, in a plane contaming the several positions of the needle,

a looper mountedto turn about a fixed axis contained in said plane and parallel to the paths in which the needle reciprocates, and a movable thread catcher arranged to transfer the thread fromIthe needle to the looper when the path of the needle is far from the looper. r

27. In a sewing machine, a reciprocating needle movable laterally with reference to the path of its reciprocation, in a plane containing the several positions of the needle, a

looper mounted to turn about a fixed axis contained in said plane and parallel to the paths in which the needle reciprocates, and a movable thread catcher pivotedto swing in a plane. perpendicular-to said plane and arranged to transfer the thread from the needle to the looper. 3

28. In a sewing machine, a vertically 1a ciprocating needle movable laterally with.

reference to the path of its reciprocation, in a vertical plane, a looper mounted to turn about a fixed vertical axis contained in said plane, and a thread catcher pivoted to swing no r in a vertical plane perpendicular to the first- V named plane and arranged to transfer the thread from said needle to the looper.

29. In a sewing machine, a reciprocating needle bar having a straight longitudinal slot, a needle connected with said bar to re- 7 ciprocate therewith yet shiftable laterally in relation thereto, a member associated with the needle bar and held toreciprocate there..-

with yet adapted to turn relatively thereto, o

said member being provided with a longitudinal, cam slot, an operating member, held from following the needle'barand associatet turning member in their reciprocating motion, and movable into one or both of said 7 slots, and means connecting the said turn ingmember withtheneedle to cause a lateral movement of the needle.

30;In a sewing machine, a reciprocating needle movable laterally with reference to the path of its reciprocation, a looper mounted to turn about a fixed axis parallel to the needle, a pivoted. thread catcher, a spring acting to hold said thread catcher away from the needle while the latter is reciprocating in operative relation to the looper, and a rotary member acting on the thread catcher in opposition to the spring to bring the thread catcher into operative relation to the needle when the latter is reciprocating out of operative relation to the looper.

31. In a sewing machine, a reciprocating needle shiftable laterally with reference to the path of its reciprocation, a looper mounted to turn about an axis parallel to the needle, and a thread catcher operating to transfer the thread from the needle to the looper.

32. In a sewing machine, a reciprocating needle shiftable laterally with reference to the path of its reciprocation, a looper mounted to turn about an axis parallel to the needle, and a thread catcher movable in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which the looper turns, and operating to transfer the thread from the needle to the looper.

33. In a sewing machine, a reciprocating needle shiftable laterally with reference to the path of its reciprocation, means controlled by the operation of the sewing machine, for effecting such lateral shifting of the needle, a looper co-operating With the needle but independent of its lateral shifting movement, a thread catcher cooperating with said needle and looper to transfer thread from the needle to the looper when the needle reciprocates in a path out of operative relation to the looper, and a device, connected with said looper and said thread catcher, for adjusting these two elements simultaneously in a direction transverse to the path of the needle.

34:. In a sewing machine, a reciprocatlng needle shiftable laterally with reference to the path of its reciprocation, means, controlled by the operation of the sewing machine, for effecting such lateral shifting of 'the needle, a looper co-operating with the needle but independent of its lateral shifting movement, a thread catcher co-operating with said needle and looper to transfer thread from the needle to the looper when the needle reciprocates in a path out of operative relation to the looper, a clothfeeder co-operating with said needle, and a device, connected with said looper, thread catcher, and cloth-feeder for adjusting these three elements simultaneously in a direction transverse to the path of the needle.

35; in a. zig-za'g sewlngmachine, cutting:

knives adapted to cut a strip of materiahw means for feeding an auxillary material to said'cutmaterial in such a position that said auxiliary material will overlap the cut edge of said cut strip of material, means for- .turnmg down the margin of said outstrip of material preliminarytothe' sewing operation for a Zig-zag stitching adapted to overwhip said turned down margin upon the under side of said out strip of material.

36. In the art of machine sewing with zig-Zag stitches, in which a continuous overwhipped zig-zag thread is applied above the material, and looped at its apices about a continuous overwhipped zig-zag thread applied below the material, that step which consists in feeding auxiliary material upon a strip of material, the edge of said auxiliary material overlapping the edge of said strip of material, folding the margin of said strip of material till the margin stands about at right angles to the body of the strip, and stitching said strip of material and said auxiliary material together by stitches passing through said strip of material outside of said auxiliary material and through said auxiliary material outside of the fold of said strip of material, the overwhipping of the said threads applied below the material completing the folding of said partly folded margin upon the strip of ma terial.

37. In a zig-zag lock stich sewing machine, the combination of a reciprocating and laterally movable needle, a hooked looper mounted for rotation around a fixed axis parallel to the needle and toward and from the hook of which the needle is movable, and means co-operating with the needle to catch the thread and transfer it to the hook of the looper during the reciprocation of the needle when remote from the looper.

38. In a sewing machine, the combination of a reciprocating and laterally movable needle, a hooked looper mounted for rotation around a fixed axis parallel to the needle, means for moving the needle laterally toward and from the hook of the looper during alternate reciprocations, the hook of the looper co-operating directly with the needle at one reciprocation, and means including a normally stationary member having a point moving into co-operation with the needle at the next reciprocation to catch the thread and transfer the same to the looper hook.

39. In a lock stitch sewing machine, the combination with a pair of hooked loopers for rotation around parallel vertically fixed axes, a reciprocating needle bar having its axis between and parallel with the axes of the loopers, a pair of needles carried by the needle bar, means for moving the needles toward and from each other, whereby they co-operate with the looper hooks at one reciprocation, and means co-operating with the needles when moved away from the looper hooks to catch the threads and transfer the same to the looper hooks.

40. The combination with a sewing machine bed plate having a plurality of binding screws tapped therein, a pair of bearing blocks having slots throughwhich said 10 said blocks and adjustable therewith toward 15 and from each other.

RALPH M. SHARAF. 

